Aware
by GraciePie
Summary: Alex should be happy for Bobby on his wedding day. So should Bobby. But they're not. FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

**Aware**

_Disclaimer: Dick's, not mine._

**Alex**

Alex sat at her desk, slowly running her finger around the rim of her Santa mug. She looked across to her partner's desk – empty. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

"Good night, Eames," the new captain called out to her as he left his office. She didn't look up, but listened as his footsteps got farther away and finally the elevator made its way downstairs. Alex looked at the clock – seven pm. Right about now, Alex thought. She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a thick paper, ivory in color. The writing on the paper was too ornate and gaudy for Alex's taste. Wrinkling her nose, she read and re-read the paper in her hand:

_Robert Goren _

_&_

_Lisette Montmatre_

_Request your presence at _

_St. Patrick's Cathedral_

_On _

_The 20th of August 2006_

_At_

_7:00 PM_

_For a ceremony celebrating their nuptials_

_And dedication of the love they have for each other._

That last part doesn't even make sense, Alex scoffed in her head. Her eyes welled up almost immediately. She threw the invitation back into the drawer, slamming it shut. She grabbed her purse and stalked towards the elevators. Inside the elevator Alex willed herself not to cry. You will make it home, you will eat dinner and then you will go to bed, Alex chastised. She swiped angrily at the tears that dared to fall. The elevator reached the lobby. Alex stood up as straight as she could, past the other co-workers who had straggled as well, and walked confidently out the front door. In her car, on the way home, she cried.

**Bobby**

"Thank you, thank you," Bobby squeezed the hand of yet another person he'd never met before wishing him congratulations – and a happy birthday. He grabbed another glass of champagne off of a passing waiter's tray. He looked around. Carolyn and Mike were dancing, while Jimmy and Angie were watching Mike and Carolyn dance. He smiled slightly. His new wife waved to him from where she was sitting, talking to Lewis. He smiled a little more, but did not walk over. He took another glance around the room. She wasn't coming. Bobby rubbed his face with his left hand in aggravation. The new Mrs. Lisette Goren caught him.

"What's the matter? Do you have a headache or something?" Lisette looked at him, worried.

"No, no, everything's fine. Just, the bubbles got to me," Bobby responded. He looked at his new wife. She was as tall as he was with long, curly black hair, ever-blushing cheeks and the greenest eyes Bobby had ever seen. She was what she called "black Irish". Nobody in her family was sure where the French last name came from, though.

"We're going to cut the cake now," Lisette stated, pulling on his sleeve to get him to come. Bobby followed his wife over to the cake. They had agreed not to do the standard shove a piece of cake in your spouse's face ritual, so they politely fed each other the extra-rich cheesecake with raspberry filling that Bobby wasn't really crazy about; he'd wanted the mocha. They posed for pictures and Lisette flitted away, greeting more people Bobby had never met before. He made his rounds again, hoping…

**Alex**

Alex sat in her car, debating, debating, and debating. She smoothed her dress out over her legs. Get some balls, Alex, and get out of the car, she thought angrily. Taking one last look in the mirror, rolling her eyes at her nose that was still red from her crying attack on the way home, Alex grabbed her purse and made her way up the stairs of the restaurant. She was accosted before she could actually make it in.

"Alex Eames, you look stunning!" Mike leaned in to kiss Alex's cheek and then stood back to take another look at her. "Good God, I don't know how he -," Mike stopped, realizing his error. Alex bit her lip and avoided his eye. "I'm sorry, Alex," Mike looked down at the ground, mortified. He took a nervous puff on the cigar he had come outside to enjoy.

"Do I look all right?" Alex adjusted the shoulder strap of her dress. Carolyn and Alex had chosen a long emerald green dress with a v-neck line – tasteful, not trashy. It had teeny little straps that Alex, as tiny as she was, was worried about snapping with one wrong move. She wore no jewelry, but had put a little more effort into her hair and make up than she usually did. She curled her hair, but thought it looked ridiculous so she pinned it up.

"Is the Pope a Catholic? Alex, you look wonderful. You look better than wonderful in fact," Mike said while taking Alex's arm. "You have to know, he's convinced you're not coming." Alex nodded.

"I almost didn't, honestly," Alex allowed Mike to lead her onto the dance floor, blushing at Carolyn's reaction towards her appearance. "You would think she'd never seen me dressed up before," Alex murmured.

"Well, I don't think we ever have," Mike whispered back. He reached up into Alex's hair and pulled out two pins, her hair tumbling across her shoulders. Alex glared at him, but kept dancing. He smirked at her. "It'll be all right, kid," he said to her as she rested her head on his shoulder. The song ended and they were rushed off the dance floor by a very pushy waiter.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goren," a disembodied voice announced. The lights dimmed, but Alex could make out her partner leading his wife across the dance floor. The tears came back.

"Oh, I know, don't they make you want to weep with joy? They are so perfect together," an elderly woman next to Alex commented. Alex looked over at Mike, who had his arms wrapped around Carolyn. Oh screw it. And with that, Alex bolted.

**Bobby**

The music started, "Moonlight Sonata". Again, Bobby didn't quite understand why it was chosen; every time he heard the piece it reminded him of the hobbling scene in "Misery". That's how I want to remember my first dance with my wife, Bobby thought. He glanced around the room. Alex. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her walk away.

"Was that her?" Lisette asked, watching his gaze. Bobby shut his eyes and nodded his response. Lisette took a breath and sighed. "You just married me because of the baby, didn't you? You stuck yourself in this marriage anyway, because you're too pig-headed to understand that I could've handled it – I didn't need your help," Lisette whispered furiously to him. Again, Bobby nodded. "You're stuck now. Congratulations, Robert Goren." Lisette laid a hand on his cheek, but quickly buried her head in his shoulder blade.

"I'm sorry," Bobby whispered. The song ended. Lisette looked at him, and then put on her best happy face, making her tears look like the happy kind. They walked off the dance floor together and then split up. Bobby walked around the hotel's restaurant, looking for Alex in every place he could think of. He walked by the cigar room, stopping at the scent of a freshly lit cigar. He opened the door slightly. And there she sat. Her eyes were rimmed red, the straps of her dress had slipped off her shoulders and she had kicked her high heels off. Brushing an errant curl out of her face, she looked up at him.

"Cigar?" She held it out to him as he took in the sight of her from the doorway.

"Alex…"

_A/N – I swore this was going to be a one-shot. Yeah…I lied. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Aware**

_Disclaimer:__Dick's, not mine._

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews! _

_**Two Months Earlier…**_

**Alex**

Bobby walked by Alex's desk, setting an ivory colored envelope down next to her crossword puzzle. She stopped erasing one of her wrong answers and picked up the envelope. She rolled her eyes at the gaudy type. "Well, I'm not getting anyone a gift; I spent way too much on my nephew this month. I am broke," Alex stated while she opened the envelope.

"You don't have to get us anything. Just come," Bobby said quietly, watching for her reaction. Alex slowly met his eyes.

"This is your invitation? You and Lisette are…" Alex trailed off as Bobby nodded. "Yeah…you're sure about this?" Again, Bobby nodded. Alex looked at him warily.

"Bobby! Congratulations!" Carolyn bounded over and threw her arms around Bobby. Bobby steadied himself and hugged her back.

"Thank you, Carolyn," Bobby said, blushing. Alex smiled half-heartedly and stuck her invitation in her desk then turned back to the crossword puzzle. She could feel both of them watching her.

"Alexandra Eames, we are so going shopping for you! We're going to get you dolled up and get you a date, and then I'm going to make Mike go as mine and we're all going to look hot," Carolyn rambled off excitedly. Bobby tilted his head to look at Alex. She refused to meet his eyes.

"No, Carolyn, I don't think so," Alex said quietly. She stood up slowly, picking up her purse. "I'm going to get a coffee. Anyone want anything?" She didn't wait for a response before taking off towards the elevators. Once outside, Alex walked down the street, warring with her emotions. I should be happy for him, Alex thought. He deserves some happiness, and she really loves him. But so do you, a little voice in the back of Alex's mind whispered. She silently wished the voice away. Besides, Bobby had no idea how she felt about him. And if he ever found out…well she didn't want to think about that. Her cell phone vibrated against her belt clip. Carolyn. Oh this is just great, Alex thought while putting the phone back onto her clip. Now she'd have explaining to do and she really didn't feel like getting into it. She walked into the coffee shop and straight into Jimmy Deakins.

"Oh my God, sir! Hi!" Alex snapped out of her reverie and hugged her old captain. Jimmy smiled and hugged her back, holding a paper coffee mug way out to his side to keep it from spilling.

"Hello Alex, how are you? I was going to call there to congratulate Bobby," Jimmy said. Alex bit back everything she wanted to say on that subject.

"Yeah, I just got my invite this morning. Are you going?" Alex dug in her purse for her wallet.

"Yes, Angie's been looking for a reason to get me out of the house, and it'll be good to see people I actually like. I didn't even know he was serious with anyone. I'm very happy for him." Jimmy tried to gauge Alex's reaction. And Alex knew he was doing it. Put on a happy face, Alex.

Alex smiled. "Yeah, she's a great girl. They're good together," Alex said, trying not to throw up in her mouth as she said the words.

"Well that's good to hear. I've got a golf game to play so I will see you then," Jimmy said, leaning in to give Alex another hug. And then he was gone. Alex smiled. It was good to see him after the unpleasantness. She walked to the counter, ordered her beverage and made her way back to One Police Plaza.

**Bobby**

Bobby sat at his desk, staring at his partner's empty chair. Why had she reacted so funny? He'd have to get to the bottom of this. Alex stepped off the elevator and sat down at her desk. Before Bobby could say anything, Carolyn once again bounded over, full of excitement.

"Listen, Alex, when we get out, we're going to go shopping. I saw the most perfect dress at Macy's and you're going to look amazing in it. And there's a little something I saw for myself there too. So meet me at my car and we'll go together," Carolyn said breathlessly. Alex took a sip of her coffee, blinking in amazement at her.

"Thank God you don't smoke. You'd never have been able to babble all of that out," Alex deadpanned. Bobby smirked.

"So, my wedding is actually an excuse for you to get all, ah, tarted up then?" Bobby asked. Carolyn punched him in the arm in response.

"I love weddings. The fact that it's yours is just a bonus. How come you kept it secret for so long? I called Lisette and she said you proposed four months ago?" Carolyn perched herself on Bobby's desk. Bobby fidgeted and Alex flinched. Carolyn missed none of it, yet kept her mouth shut. She'd ask Alex later.

"Well, ah, we were just waiting for a good time to tell people. Honestly, she wanted to mail the invites out as soon as we got them, but I said I'd just give you yours. And then I forgot to bring them in for weeks and well, now here the are and now you know," Bobby babbled, waving his hands around as he spoke. Bobby watched Alex out of the corner of his eye. Something was bothering her. He could see it in her eyes.

"Well, I'll get back to work. Captain Gaustad's on his way over," Carolyn hopped off of his desk and walked back to her domain. Mike immediately leaned in to ask her something. Bobby turned his attention back to Alex. She glanced down at that exact moment.

"Alex, what's –," Bobby started. The Captain was upon them.

"How is the case going?" Captain Gaustad was a tall, skinny man. His suits hung off of him rather sloppily. But as nice a guy as he was, Bobby was still having trouble adjusting to his reign.

"Good, sir. Just finishing up our statements and we'll be ready for your next bid," Alex responded without looking up. Bobby glanced at her briefly before addressing his captain.

"Uh, yeah, Eames is right. Almost done," Bobby said.

"Good. That's all. Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, Goren," Capt. Gaustad said before making his way back to his office.

Alex looked at Bobby. "We've got to get Carolyn to use an indoor voice." Bobby smiled at her. She frowned and looked back down at her paperwork.

"Alex, what's wrong? You've been…distant," Bobby said, reaching his hand out to stop her pen from moving.

"Nothing's wrong, Bobby. I just, I don't want to talk about anything right now, okay?" Alex snatched her hand out of Bobby's reach and began writing again. Bobby watched her writing, wishing he knew how to get into her head outside of working a case.

**Alex**

Alex sat on her bed, Carolyn beside her. The eight hundred dollar dress from Macy's hung before them.

"It's a beautiful dress," Alex murmured.

"It looks amazing on you," Carolyn murmured back. She looked over at her friend, simultaneously catching a glimpse of them in the mirror. Their faces were blotchy from crying, Alex still doing so. "Why don't you talk to him? Maybe-,"

"Maybe what, Car? Maybe he'll leave her for me just because I just realized how much I love him? No, it just doesn't work that way," Alex sobbed. She wiped her nose with a paper towel before continuing. "How is that conversation going to go? Oh, hey, Bobby? I know you love Lisette and everything but after five, six years it's just now dawned on me that I am completely and utterly in love with you. So, just cross out her name on the invitations and scrawl mine over it and we'll live happily ever after." Alex flopped back on her bed and curled into a ball. Carolyn started crying again at the thought of her friend's dilemma. "And I love Lisette! She's a great girl. She's smart, she's funny, she's a goddamn supermodel; she can actually hug him without getting out a stepladder. But I love him, too. What's wrong with me that, that he…" Alex trailed off. She hiccupped and tried to slow her breathing down.

"Baby, there ain't nothing wrong with you that I can see. Why don't you take a nap, and then call me later okay? I'm sorry but I have to get home. The puppy awaits," Carolyn said rubbing her friend's back. It was too late – she was already asleep. Carolyn smiled sadly at Alex's back. She covered her up with one of the many throws Alex had on her bed and made her way out her apartment.

Later, Alex was still in bed, thinking about how she would never be able to show her face in Macy's again after her "breakdown". She had just poured her heart out to Carolyn in the dressing room. Although she was right, Alex did look amazing in it. Alex half-smiled, then remembered her issue. It was about a year and a half ago, she realized she loved him. She just couldn't make the move she didn't want to ruin the partnership. Alex knew Bobby counted on her and she just didn't want to ruin that for either of them. Then he met Lisette, and her chance was gone. At least Lisette was a tolerable human being, and Alex could see that she truly loved him. That should've been of some comfort to Alex, that Bobby had two good women to count on, but it wasn't. She wanted to be the only one. And now it was never going to happen. Alex began to cry again, falling back asleep.

**Bobby & Alex**

Bobby let himself into Alex's apartment with the key she'd given him nearly six years previous. He set his portfolio down on her kitchen table and walked around her apartment. He turned lights on as he walked around, wondering where she was. He saw the bedroom door was cracked open a little bit and he crept his way down the hall. He pushed the door open and peeked inside. The sun was going down and what light was left filtered in through the curtains and lit up Alex's sleeping body. Bobby frowned at the sight of her, face snotty and blotchy and frowning. There is something wrong, Bobby thought. He sat down beside her on the bed. He brushed the hair back from her face, causing her to stir slightly. Not thinking about what he was doing, he lay down beside her and watched her sleep. Even with dried snot on her face, she still looked beautiful. Bobby rubbed her arm gently until se woke up fully.

"Alex, wake up. It's me," He whispered. Alex blinked several times before finally focusing on who was talking. She jumped out of bed when she realized it was Bobby.

"How, what the hell are you doing in my bed? What are you doing here?" Alex yelled. No wonder the dream was so life-like, she thought.

Bobby couldn't help but stare at her. Thoughts entered his mind that he knew shouldn't be there. "I – I wanted to know…to talk about what's going on. You've been acting…funny," Bobby said quietly. Alex looked at him incredulously.

"You're laying in my bed trying to find out what's wrong with me? You laying in my bed _is_ what's wrong with me!" Alex yelled. Bobby stared at her.

"What…what?" Bobby walked around the bed over to where Alex was standing. "Me in your bed is what's bothering you? I'm sorry, I just came to -,"

"Bobby, I'm in love with you. That's what's bothering me. I thought I could deal with it, I had been, but then…now you're getting married…" Alex sat down as she trailed off. Again, Bobby stared at her.

"I-I…why didn't you…how long?" Bobby said quietly, clearing the lump from his throat.

"Almost two years. I didn't want to ruin anything. I didn't want something to happen to us and ruin that for you –" Alex ran her hands through her hair.

"You couldn't tell me something like that because you thought me having to get a new partner would throw me for a loop?" Bobby was starting to get angry. "You thought I couldn't deal with that?"

"Honestly, yes. I didn't want someone to come in and leave because they couldn't deal with you –"

"And you think you're the only one who can deal with me? Like I can't live without you as my partner?" Bobby looked at Alex, waiting for an explanation.

"How dare you?" Her eyes started to well up again.

"Alex, I can't believe you couldn't tell me that. I thought you trusted me," Bobby said.

"Well, God, Bobby! How was I supposed to bring that one up!" Alex laughed through her tears. They were both sitting on her bed. Silence fell over them. Alex's tears slowed down and Bobby was rubbing his face with his hands. Bobby broke the silence.

"I love you, Alex. I didn't think you felt the same way. So I didn't say anything either. But…if you had, you wouldn't have had to worry."

Alex looked at him, the tears starting again. "You've got to be kidding me. Why wouldn't I have had to worry?"

"I could've dealt with another partner – I still would've had you," Bobby replied. The tears he had been holding back came down his face. He quickly wiped them away. Alex reached for his hand and squeezed it.

"We are just dumb," Alex said, a failed attempt at humor. Bobby looked at her intently for a second. "Bobby?" Alex started to ask, just as Bobby leaned in to kiss her. She let him explore for a second, stunned, but kissed him back harder. The sun set on Bobby and Alex, as they consummated their love for each other, however doomed it was.

_**The Next Day…**_

**Bobby**

Bobby sat at his desk, reliving the previous night in his head. Not the good part either. He had left Alex that night, had woken her up and let her know he was leaving, and went back home to his fiancée. He wanted to come clean to Lisette, let her know how he felt. She was up waiting for him and she was not happy. He told her. That's why he had the bruise on his face. Bobby felt for it; yes, still there. She slept in the spare bedroom, while he slept on the couch. He woke early for work and crept out, trying not to wake her. He didn't even know how to feel; he loved Lisette, but was completely in love with Alex. It was nearly eight in the morning when Alex walked off the elevator and took her seat in front of him. She looked up shyly at him. He half-grinned at her and that's when she noticed the bruise.

"Bobby, what happened?" She reached out to touch it, but stopped herself.

"I told her," Bobby answered. "She didn't take it too well and now we're not talking. I don't know what's going on." Alex bit her lip.

"I'm sorry, Bobby. I didn't –" Alex started.

"Alex, nothing here is your fault. Just stop it." Bobby held his hands up for emphasis. Alex, for once, kept her mouth shut.

The four detectives got together in the conference room to look over evidence for the new case they would all be working on. They were pouring over pictures when there was a knock at the door.

"Uh, Goren? Your fiancée is here," Officer Germaine reported. Alex avoided Bobby's eye as he got up to see why exactly his fiancée was there. Mike, Carolyn and Alex both watched what was going on outside. Lisette was crying, but Bobby looked happy. They both disappeared into the elevator. Mike and Carolyn turned to Alex.

"So…what's going on there?" Mike prodded Alex with his pencil.

"Well, seeing as how Carolyn can't keep her mouth shut – I still love you, Carolyn – I'm in love with Bobby, he's in love with me, we all settled this last night, he went home and told Lisette, she punched him and now they're downstairs talking," Alex rattled off.

Mike frowned in confusion. "By settled you mean…"

"Yes, we did it. You are…how do you work here?" Alex asked.

"My good looks, my dear," Mike said, batting his eyelashes at her. The elevator pinged and off walked Bobby. "Oh, this should be good," Mike deadpanned. Alex held her breath as Bobby walked back towards the room.

"She's pregnant," Bobby announced. Alex's heart stopped for a minute. Mike glanced over at Alex, while Bobby avoided her eye. Carolyn squeezed Alex's hand.

"Um, congratulations," Alex mumbled as she stood and walked out of the room. Bobby sighed, resigned.

"I take it you both know?" Mike and Carolyn nodded slowly. "I have to stay with her now. I can't let her raise this child by herself," Bobby said, more to himself than the others. "I have to break her heart all over again." And with that, Bobby walked out of the room back to his desk where Alex was busying herself with paperwork.

"I mean it – congratulations," Alex said without looking up.

"Thank you," Bobby replied.

"You'll be staying then?" Alex asked, already knowing the answer.

"I can't, I can't let her…" Bobby started. Alex held up her hand and looked up at him.

"You're a good man, Bobby. I understand." Alex resumed her paperwork.

"Thank you," Bobby whispered. He turned and went back into the conference room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Aware**

_Disclaimer: Totally Dick's!_

_A/N: Y'all aren't going to be happy…but I hope you like it anyway. Thanks for reviewing!_

**_Back In The Cigar Room…_**

"Alex…"

Alex just looked at him. The bowtie from his tuxedo had come undone, his hair was more disheveled than usual and he looked like he had lost his best friend. Had he? "Bobby, I almost didn't come. But I had to tell you…I'm leaving Major Case." The tears started coursing down her face again, ruining the professional make up she'd had done. Bobby just stared at her in disbelief.

"You're, you're leaving Major Case because of this? Why? What will you do?" What will _I_ do, Bobby thought bitterly. He thought they were passed this. She had been acting fine. Hmm, acting being the key word here, Goren. She wiped away tears with one hand, the other still holding the cigar. He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and closed the gap between them. He pressed the tissue into one hand and took the cigar out of the other. He watched as she wiped the make up from her face, tossing her head back, trying to get the curls out of her face. She still looked beautiful. He felt a familiar lump in his throat.

"I just, I can't deal with it. I've got money put away and money I haven't touched from when Sean died. I'll be fine and I'll find something." Alex stopped to look at him. He was crying. "Why are you crying?" She tilted her head to the side and let her arms hang at her sides.

"I drove you away from this. You love this job, you're a good cop and you're just going to resign because of this? Because of me?" Bobby whispered the last part, hoping it wasn't true but knowing it was.

"It's not your fault. It's me; I should be able to be a big girl and grow up…but I can't. I love you too much. And this job means more to you than it does to me. I shudder to think of poor Lisette being cooped up in a house with a bored you." Alex grinned through her tears, hoping to get some sort of positive reaction out of him. That wasn't going to happen. Bobby collapsed into one of the overstuffed chairs and buried his head in his hands.

"Don't even say her name," he said, sounding detached. Alex's breath caught in her throat. She walked back over to him, her dress swishing around her legs. Bobby could see her toes poking out from under the hem of the dress. He was wondering where her shoes had gone to when she tilted his head up to meet hers.

"Listen to me – I will be fine. You will be fine. Lisette will be fine. You have a baby coming," Alex stopped to think for a second. "Forgive me, but you're sure this baby is yours?"

Bobby nodded his head miserably. There had been tests. The baby was his. "Yes, but it needs an Aunt Alex."

Alex smiled. "Give me some time, and then I'll spoil the shit out of it. But for right now, I have to do this." Alex kissed Bobby's forehead. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her. She returned the embrace, but broke away first. "Congratulations, Bobby." She picked up her shoes and purse and left the cigar room. Bobby sat in the chair, staring at the door, for a long time. He hadn't noticed Mike and Carolyn had come in.

"Hey big guy, Lisette's looking for you," Mike said hesitantly. Carolyn let go of Mike's hand and went over to Bobby and rubbed his arm sympathetically. Bobby stood suddenly.

"She's leaving Major Case. Because of me! She's leaving because I broke her goddamn heart – " Bobby stopped, the tears choking him. He sat back down and sobbed. Mike looked at Carolyn questioningly and Carolyn shook her head. She'd had no idea Alex was leaving.

"Bobby, you have to go downstairs now. Everybody's leaving. And Lisette is not happy," Carolyn warned.

"She married me, why should she be?" Bobby retorted.

"Bobby, come downstairs so we can go home," Lisette appeared in the doorway, the strap to her dress broken and held together with the ribbon from her bouquet. Her hair was up in a ponytail on top of her head, a messy braid falling in front of her eyes. Her nieces had gotten a hold of her and she was too tired to protest. Bobby's eyes immediately went to the tiny bulge on her stomach, noticeable only to him. She was only three months along, but he could tell. It brought a smile to his face.

"Alex, she's leaving Major Case," Bobby told her, standing up.

Lisette nodded. "I talked to her on her way out. It'll be okay, Bobby." She reached for Bobby's hand. She visibly relaxed when he didn't pull away from her. Mike reached for Carolyn's hand and followed the newly married couple out of the cigar room and out into the night.

_**One Year Later…**_

Alex sat in the park, rocking a stroller back and forth gently while she people watched. There was the old man who sat with his chess board, waiting for some one to play with, the ladies who jogged with their babies in the fancy jogging strollers, and speaking of joggers, there was Lynn Bishop out for her Tuesday evening run. Alex smiled a little and waved at her; Lynn smiled and nodded briefly and kept on running. Alex leaned over to check on the infant in the stroller. She was starting to stir. Dinnertime, Alex thought. She pulled a bottle out of the diaper bag and hoisted the baby out of the stroller. The baby sucked away eagerly and soon fell back asleep. Alex shifted her daughter to her left shoulder and started patting her back, trying to coax a burp out of her. More people flooded down the pathways of the park. Alex was lost in thought when she heard a familiar voice.

"Alex?" Alex looked up startled. Bobby. He pushed his stroller over until he was next to her bench. "Do you mind?" He motioned to the bench. Alex was too stunned to speak, but recovered.

"Yeah, sit, sit." They just looked at each other for a minute. Alex motioned towards the stroller Bobby had rolled up with. "Is that him?" Bobby nodded, barely trying to hide the proud smile on his face. Alex stood and shifted the baby girl in her arms to her hip. Bobby stared at the baby Alex was holding. "Oh, Bobby he's adorable. What's his name?" Alex turned to look at Bobby, who was staring at her funny.

"So, when did you…?" Bobby trailed off, motioning towards Alex's daughter.

"She's yours, Bobby. I didn't even know how to tell you. And I didn't even want to hurt Lisette again, so I just kept my mouth shut," Alex explaining quietly. Bobby nodded.

"So, have you been working?" Bobby fussed with his son's bib. Alex frowned at him.

"You just find out you have a daughter and you're asking me if I've been working?" Alex stared at him in disbelief.

"Lisette and I got divorced. Post-partum depression. She couldn't bounce back and wouldn't let me help her at all. And then it reminded me of that case we worked on, with the bomb planted underneath the van and that bastard of a husband drove his wife insane? She moved in with her mother. She won't even see the baby." The baby squealed in his stroller. "How old is she?"

"Um, almost four months. Her name is Leila Maeve." Alex shifted Leila higher on her hip. Bobby motioned for Alex to hand the baby to him.

"Do you mind?" Alex handed Leila over and Bobby cradled his daughter in his arms.

"They look alike," Alex commented as she played with Bobby's son. "What's his name?"

Bobby smiled. "Carson Elias, nearly seven months." They sat in silence for a minute or two. Alex turned to Bobby, her face squinted up, like she was dreading the answer to her question.

"Are you hungry? There's a really good Thai place around the corner that I can finally go to now that I'm done breastfeeding." Bobby snorted.

"You're done already?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "I swear, she's got fangs hidden in there. I work part time at a police station near my parents' house. Between her biting me and getting called out, I couldn't hack it." Bobby grinned.

"You just wanted Thai food. It's okay, you can admit it." He placed Leila back in her stroller and started walking with Alex towards the park entrance.


End file.
